History of Japan

Formation of Japan inslands
Half arch shaped Japan islands were formed more than 5 million years ago. Before that they were a part of Eurasia continent. Then volcano eruptions caused movement of earth`s crust in ice age and interglacial period, geological changes continued in glacial period.
Old Stone Age. It is considered, that people strated moving to Japan 16 000 years ago, during Non-pottery and pre-ceramic periods.
Time before the Jomon period is called Non-pottery or Pre-ceramic period. For a long time no any remain of human activity were found for the time before earthenware period so it was considered that there were no people living in Japan in that time. But in 1949 stone implements were discovered by Aizawa Tadahiro in Iwajuku in Gumma prefecture. Research of Japan Stone Age started from that time. Nowadays there are more than 4000 places in Japan, where remains of stone implements has been found. The most of them has are 12 000- 30 000 years old, they belong to late Stone Age.

 

Jomon period
About 12 000 years ago New Stone age started in Japan, it is called Jomon period. It can be devided into 6 parts: outset, earliest stage, early stage, middle stage, late stage and the last stage. In that period people were making straw-rope pattern pottery, from the earliest stage they started a settled way of life, living in caves. In order to have food, they were hunting using bow and arrows, fishing, gathering plants. They could use polished stoneware, chipped stone tools, bone tools.
At the late stage they were able to cultivate rice.

 

Yayoi Period
The period from 9 century BC to 3 century AD is called Yayoi. This name comes from the name of specific Yayoi ceramic, which was produced in that period. At that time agricultural society was formed, the main business was cultivation of rice. It was spread fastly from Kyushu up to the north of Honshu. Due to formation of agricaltural society, local communities appeared. With the development of agricultural society, they became bigger and bigger, and gradually transformed into settlements. Researching the tombs of that period, it was discovered that the tombs of settlement`s leaders differed from others, that period is considered to be the beginning of social inequality.
That time Chinese called Japan islands as “wakoku”. About 100 BC traffic route between China and Japan islands was established. The Na state of Wa received a golden seal from the Emperor Guangwu of the Later Han Dynasty. Gradually political relations between local comunities strengthened, and some kind of comunities` union was formed in the 2nd century AD. In the second part of 2nd century Wa crisis happened, it was a period of civil war. After that Himiko from Yamataikoku became a queen of Wa country. She wanted to make stabilization in the country by establishing relations with Chinese Wei country.

 

Kofun period
Time from the second half of 3d century AD up to 7th century is called Kofun period. Key-hole shaped kofuns (tombs) apperared in the middle of 3d century in Kinai, and quickly spread to the whole territory of the country. This fact is considered to be a sign that political clans of Kinai, Sanyo, northern Kyushu were united under Yamato rule. Still it was not an early stage state, it was union of clans under leader`s rule. In that period so called Yamato Court was formed. It is a matter of discussions if it had the functions of state and for how long time it existed.
That period (including the next one Asuka period) was traditionally called Yamato period, but now most of historians call it Kofun period.

 

Asuka period(592-710)
The period from the second part of 6th century up to 8th century is called Asuka period, it is called under Asuka region, where Yamato capital was situated. At the end of 6th century Yamato rule spread over the contry`s area, at the same time inner struggle for sucession took place. At that period Buddhism arrived in Japan from Korea, which had great influence for cultural development during Asuka period. 400 years long ruling of Sui dynasty, which had united China, was a good example of political power concentration for all east Asian countries. In the beginning of the 7th century Prince Shotoku and Soga clan organized Japan's envoy to Sui dynasty China. At that time a system to rank officials into 12 levels and 17 articles Constitution were established. But further attempts for centralization of power met increasing resistance of powerful clans, and no futher progress was achieved.

 

Nara Period (710-784)
Nara period started from the beginning of 8th century, the capital was relocated to Nara (Heizei-kyo). At that period Ritsuryo law system is considered to be deepened. According that system all the lands and citizens were considered to be the property of the Emperor; land-using system, tax collection system, soldiers reqruiting system were based on this principle. As the enforcement of Ritsuryo law system, were created such laws as Sanze-isshin Law and Konden Einen Shizai Law, they led to the apparition of large private lands. In the middle of 8th century decay of peasants strated, sometimes they escaped, those cases increased, according to the Ritsuryo system they should had been returned.

 

Heian period (784-1184)
Time from the end of 8th century till the end of 12th century is called Heian period, with capital in Heian-kyo, built by Kanmu Emperor. Buncrapcy of Gunji, appointed from the Kunitsuko clans of Kofun period, and decay of peasants continued in early Heian period, the country was still using Ritsuryo system. In order to increase living energy of the society, Imperial Court started the reform, giving more rights to local powers, and formed a new ruling system, called Otyokokka. According to this system, lots of governing powers were delegated from Imperial Court to provincial governing structures, which managed spheres of tax collecting and land using system. The Japanese politics of Heian period　were dominated by Fujiwara clan through the monopoly of regent positions, Sessho and Kampaku. In that period military system also changed, a newly formed class of samurais started to play a big role, miltary technology and weapons also had development.

 

Kamakura period (1190-1334)
Kamakura period lasted from the end of 12th century to 14th century. Power concentrated in the hands of aristocracy of the center of the country and eastern military lords, and this 2 classes struggled with each other. Minamoto no Yoritomo defeated the rival Taira clan, and Yoritomo was appointed Seii Tai-Shogun by the emperor, he established his goverement called bakufu. After Joukyu disturbance in the beginning of 13th century, military lords began dominating in the political system. After that, supported by gekinin, Hojo clan formed political system when real power belonged to that clan.

 

Northern and Southern Courts period/Muromachi period (1334-1573)
14th century is called Nothern and Southern Courts period. Dynasty divided into Daikakujito wing`s Southern Court and wing`s Nothern Court, supported bu Ashikaga clan. Godaigo Emperor from Daikakujito wing planned to overthrow Kamakura`s Shogunat and form Emperor`s direct governing system, but he failed due to samurai`s resistance and had to run to a southern city of Yoshino after conflict with Ashikaga Takauji. Contradictions about landowning system caused protests in all layers of society, civil wars between North and South started all over the country.
The period from 14th to 16th century is called Muromachi period. The name comes from Muromachi district of Kyoto, where shogunat of the Northern Court was established by Ashikaga Takauji. Based in Kyoto, shogunat step by step was taking over real power from Emperor`s Court. At that period power of such feudals as shugo was strenghening, they were overtaking functions of provincial governers, a layer of shugo daimyo had been formed. As a result a new system of governing was established, where the real power belonged to shogunat and shugo daimyo.
15-16th centuries are called Sengoku period. At that time daimyo of the Warring States period, coming from shugodaimyo and samurais, appeared. They destroyed the Middle Age`s system of governing and created a new one, the system of separate regions, which were appearing one by one. The power in each of such regions belonged to the local daimyo. Economical and political contradictions between the regions were solved by military power. In the middle of 16th century the power of the daimyo with well organized military forces-Oda Nobunaga-increased, their were making rapid expansion to the other daimyo`s lands. He was leading the the policy forbidding those outside the samurai class to arm themselves.

 

Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1596)
Oda Nobunaga expelled Ashikaga Yoshiaki shogun from Muromachi and organized his own government. After Oba Nobunaga parished at Incident at Honn?-ji, Toyotomi Hideyoshi continued reunification of the country.

 

Edo period (1603-1868)
Time from 1603 to 1867 is called Edo period. At that time Edo shogunat was established in Edo city.
After death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu has established Edo shogunat after winning Sekigahara battle. He demolished Toyotomi clan during Osaka seige. In the middle of 17th century, shogunat proclaimed Buke Shohatto laws. It was a collection of edicts, governing the responsibilities and activities of daimyo and the rest of the samurai warrior aristocracy. Sankin kotai was a policy leading by shogunat in order to control daimyo. At the same time restrictions were made towards Christianity and international trade. After Shimabara rebelion Christianity was completely prohibited, relations and trade were forbidden, except Dejima island. It was the start of Sakoku policy-the policy of “locked country”

 

Meiji Period
Period of time from 1868 to 1912 is called Meiji period. The Boshin war was a war between Tokugawa shogunat forces and and those seeking to return political power to the Emperor. The supporters of restoration won and established Meiji government. It organized reforms which are known as Meiji restoration, which included westernization and modernization of the country, abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, Emancipation Edict giving outcasts equal legal status, establishing new law system etc.

 

Taisho period
Period from 1912 to 1926 is called Taisho period. During World War I, Japan was an ally of Britain. After winning the war, Japan became one of the strongest countries in the world. As a result of Rice Riots so called Taisho democracy movement started. The political parties system was created, the first general elections in Asia were organized. At the same time, the Peace Preservation Law was enacted against Communism. During the World War I Japan`s economy developed rapidly due to tremendous demand. But after the war was finished, deep economic depression started. At the same time Great Kanto earthquake happened, that made Japan society feel even more depressed.

 

Showa period
Showa period lasted from 1926 to 1989 year. Economy crisis of Taisho period continued, and at last world wide Great Depression started, anxiety in the society was growing. At that time the power in Japan was overtaken by military cyrcles. Japan`s army occupied Manchuria, created there so called Manchukuo and then started war with China. Japan entered World War II as an ally of fascist`s Germany and Italy.

 

Heisei Period
Heisei period started in 1989 year. Bubble economy boom of the end of Showa period changed to economic depression in the beginning of Heisei period, that time is called “lost 10 years”. In order to overcome the depression, some structural reforms were carried out.

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